Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 23, 2006 6:07:19 GMT -5
3 years after four young people were bludgeoned and shot to death in a Clear Lake-area home, police on Friday announced a break in the grisly slayings.
Police arrested one suspect and were searching for another as capital murder charges were filed against the pair who police say resemble the composite sketches released shortly after the July 18, 2003, killings.
Charged with capital murder are Christine Marie Paolilla, 20, and
Christopher Lee Snider, 21, who remains at-large.
The man and woman in the sketches were descriptions of 2 people seen dressed in black and walking in the 3700 block of Millbridge on the afternoon of the killings. If convicted, they could face the death penalty.
"Our investigators have a deep commitment to bringing these people to justice because one, they are accountable and two, for the families. So much of what we do is for families, to bring as much closure as we can," Houston police Capt. Dale Brown said. "But it's not over until we get this 2nd person arrested and in jail."
Friday's announcement comes 3 days after the 3rd-year anniversary of the deaths of Rachael Koloroutis and Tiffany Rowell, both 18; Marcus Precella, 19, and Adelbert Sanchez, 21.
The killings created unease in the relatively quiet Clear Lake-area
neighborhood lined with brick homes and billowing trees. The 1-story contemporary home where the four were killed was on a cul-de-sac and took place in the middle of the afternoon and yet no one could give police any definite leads.
Houston police, who have followed thousands of tips that have taken investigators across Texas, to Florida and Mexico, received a Crime Stoppers tip that led to the charges being filed, Brown said.
During an afternoon news conference, police did not divulge much
information on the tip made in the past week but said it was "specific enough."
Brown said "the guys here, put in a significant effort" that led to the identification of Paolilla and Snider. The 2 are "who we believe are responsible" for the quadruple killings, he said.
Arrest in San Antonio
Paolilla was arrested at a San Antonio hotel room Wednesday and is being held in the Harris County Jail without bail. Her 1st court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Snider was thought to be in Louisville, Ky., but investigators were not able to find him there. Police have learned that he fled to Greenville, S.C.
"He is still in that area, or close to that area," Brown said. Houston police investigators are en route to Greenville to work with local authorities.
Brown declined to discuss the relationship between Paolilla and Snider in relation to the 4 victims.
"They are just evil killers," said George Koloroutis, the father of
Rachael Koloroutis.
Police said the victims died in a swift, vicious attack at Rowell's home.
George Koloroutis, whose family has since moved out of state, said he did not know Paolilla or Snider.
"It just made sense that whoever was seen going into the house 15 to 30 minutes before the killings, is probably who did it," he said.
"Everything had to be looked at. It doesn't bring Rachael back or those other young kids but at least they are not just tossed to the side without justice."
In the police sketch, the woman had her hair covered by a close-fitting cap and carried a large black bag.
Police spokesman John Cannon said Paolilla's appearance today is dramatically different from the composite sketch.
"Drugs have not agreed with her in the last couple of years," he said.
Possibly drug-related
Police had said the killings were likely drug-related and that Precella owed money for drugs he sold. Precella, who worked part-time as a waiter, began selling the drugs he and his friends used to other friends, police have said. The drugs were identified as Ecstasy, Xanax, cocaine and marijuana.
Sanchez, Precella's cousin, also sold drugs, according to police.
Days before the killings, Sanchez moved into Rowell's house, where Precella and Koloroutis frequently stayed. Precella, who also graduated from Clear Lake High School, and Rowell had dated for 3 years.
Rowell had been living in the home by herself after her father remarried and moved to his wife's home in Manvel. She had stayed behind to finish her senior year at nearby Clear Lake High School.
After graduating in May 2003, Koloroutis had been staying with Rowell for two weeks but had told her parents she'd be moving back home the weekend of the shooting. The Koloroutis family lived in a nearby subdivision.
Sanchez lived at home in north Houston until the week he was killed, when he decided to go and stay with his cousin for a while.
Maricella Sanchez, stepmother of Adelbert Sanchez, said his family was overjoyed with Friday's news.
"I am just so happy. We are all just overwhelmed," she said. "We are just letting it all out. We are just so glad. There were innocent lives that shouldn't have been taken."
Precella's family declined to comment Friday. Chester Rowell, Tiffany Rowell's father, has never commented publicly about the case.
Grateful to HPD
George Koloroutis said he is grateful to Houston police for being so diligent.
"There have been a lot of good men who have shared tears with me and promised me they would do all they could and now it looks like they have," he said. "It is a very emotional feeling. Once you know who did that to your child, it makes you sick to your stomach. The one thing I credit HPD is that they looked under so many rocks. They left no stone unturned. "
Harris County records show Paolilla was charged with burglary of a vehicle in Seabrook in July 2004.
In that case, Paolilla was fined $4,000, but $3,700 of that fine was deferred. She was sentenced to one year probation, ending in July 2005.
Records also show that Paolilla and Snider were charged with theft between $50 and $500 in October 2003.
Paolilla served 6 months of probation while Snider entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.
Snider also had a drug offense in December 2003 for which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 days in jail, records show.
Anyone with information on Snider's whereabouts is asked to contact the Houston Police Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Source: Houston Chronicle
Police arrested one suspect and were searching for another as capital murder charges were filed against the pair who police say resemble the composite sketches released shortly after the July 18, 2003, killings.
Charged with capital murder are Christine Marie Paolilla, 20, and
Christopher Lee Snider, 21, who remains at-large.
The man and woman in the sketches were descriptions of 2 people seen dressed in black and walking in the 3700 block of Millbridge on the afternoon of the killings. If convicted, they could face the death penalty.
"Our investigators have a deep commitment to bringing these people to justice because one, they are accountable and two, for the families. So much of what we do is for families, to bring as much closure as we can," Houston police Capt. Dale Brown said. "But it's not over until we get this 2nd person arrested and in jail."
Friday's announcement comes 3 days after the 3rd-year anniversary of the deaths of Rachael Koloroutis and Tiffany Rowell, both 18; Marcus Precella, 19, and Adelbert Sanchez, 21.
The killings created unease in the relatively quiet Clear Lake-area
neighborhood lined with brick homes and billowing trees. The 1-story contemporary home where the four were killed was on a cul-de-sac and took place in the middle of the afternoon and yet no one could give police any definite leads.
Houston police, who have followed thousands of tips that have taken investigators across Texas, to Florida and Mexico, received a Crime Stoppers tip that led to the charges being filed, Brown said.
During an afternoon news conference, police did not divulge much
information on the tip made in the past week but said it was "specific enough."
Brown said "the guys here, put in a significant effort" that led to the identification of Paolilla and Snider. The 2 are "who we believe are responsible" for the quadruple killings, he said.
Arrest in San Antonio
Paolilla was arrested at a San Antonio hotel room Wednesday and is being held in the Harris County Jail without bail. Her 1st court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
Snider was thought to be in Louisville, Ky., but investigators were not able to find him there. Police have learned that he fled to Greenville, S.C.
"He is still in that area, or close to that area," Brown said. Houston police investigators are en route to Greenville to work with local authorities.
Brown declined to discuss the relationship between Paolilla and Snider in relation to the 4 victims.
"They are just evil killers," said George Koloroutis, the father of
Rachael Koloroutis.
Police said the victims died in a swift, vicious attack at Rowell's home.
George Koloroutis, whose family has since moved out of state, said he did not know Paolilla or Snider.
"It just made sense that whoever was seen going into the house 15 to 30 minutes before the killings, is probably who did it," he said.
"Everything had to be looked at. It doesn't bring Rachael back or those other young kids but at least they are not just tossed to the side without justice."
In the police sketch, the woman had her hair covered by a close-fitting cap and carried a large black bag.
Police spokesman John Cannon said Paolilla's appearance today is dramatically different from the composite sketch.
"Drugs have not agreed with her in the last couple of years," he said.
Possibly drug-related
Police had said the killings were likely drug-related and that Precella owed money for drugs he sold. Precella, who worked part-time as a waiter, began selling the drugs he and his friends used to other friends, police have said. The drugs were identified as Ecstasy, Xanax, cocaine and marijuana.
Sanchez, Precella's cousin, also sold drugs, according to police.
Days before the killings, Sanchez moved into Rowell's house, where Precella and Koloroutis frequently stayed. Precella, who also graduated from Clear Lake High School, and Rowell had dated for 3 years.
Rowell had been living in the home by herself after her father remarried and moved to his wife's home in Manvel. She had stayed behind to finish her senior year at nearby Clear Lake High School.
After graduating in May 2003, Koloroutis had been staying with Rowell for two weeks but had told her parents she'd be moving back home the weekend of the shooting. The Koloroutis family lived in a nearby subdivision.
Sanchez lived at home in north Houston until the week he was killed, when he decided to go and stay with his cousin for a while.
Maricella Sanchez, stepmother of Adelbert Sanchez, said his family was overjoyed with Friday's news.
"I am just so happy. We are all just overwhelmed," she said. "We are just letting it all out. We are just so glad. There were innocent lives that shouldn't have been taken."
Precella's family declined to comment Friday. Chester Rowell, Tiffany Rowell's father, has never commented publicly about the case.
Grateful to HPD
George Koloroutis said he is grateful to Houston police for being so diligent.
"There have been a lot of good men who have shared tears with me and promised me they would do all they could and now it looks like they have," he said. "It is a very emotional feeling. Once you know who did that to your child, it makes you sick to your stomach. The one thing I credit HPD is that they looked under so many rocks. They left no stone unturned. "
Harris County records show Paolilla was charged with burglary of a vehicle in Seabrook in July 2004.
In that case, Paolilla was fined $4,000, but $3,700 of that fine was deferred. She was sentenced to one year probation, ending in July 2005.
Records also show that Paolilla and Snider were charged with theft between $50 and $500 in October 2003.
Paolilla served 6 months of probation while Snider entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.
Snider also had a drug offense in December 2003 for which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 days in jail, records show.
Anyone with information on Snider's whereabouts is asked to contact the Houston Police Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Source: Houston Chronicle